Annual Report 2019

ANNUAL Joy is a wonder drug.
REPORT

2018|2019

Granting the Next 25,000
Wishes - TOGETHER

Isla, four years old
Disney wish

Diagnosed with leukemia

A Leadership Message

It takes a vast ecosystem of dedicated and hardworking donated funds. A Fraser Institute study* showed a
people to send rockets and humans into space. Earlier this significant decrease in the number of Canadians who
year, 13-year-old Benjamin experienced first-hand the donated to charity. At the same time, those who donated
work of this collective when Children’s Wish Foundation allocated a smaller portion of their incomes to charitable
sent him and his family to the National Aeronautics and giving.
Space Administration’s (NASA) Johnson Space Center in
Houston, Texas, to speak with astronaut David We also face the ongoing challenge of an uncertain
Saint-Jacques in space. economy. We felt the impact of this last year, when
markets plummeted in December. These challenges did not,
While NASA hosted the visit, and will not, stop us from advancing our mandate, which
it was the collaborative work we’ve expanded in recent years to include children with
of another collective that serious neurological and genetic conditions.
made Benjamin’s wish come
true: the donors, volunteers, The past year saw an even stronger collaboration with our
sta and partners at partners, volunteers and sta across the country. We’ve
Children’s Wish. We are already seen impactful results from these e orts, including
extremely grateful to these the transformation of our Heroes Challenge fundraiser
generous individuals for from a series of local events throughout the fall to a more
giving Ben and his family cohesive national e ort with all events taking place on the
a truly novel, out-of-this- same day in the month of September. Not surprisingly, last
world experience! year we had a number of record-breaking events.

The inspiring results from working together has enabled Like those working together on space missions, the sta ,
Children’s Wish to grant more than 25,000 wishes over volunteers, donors and partners at Children’s Wish worked
the last 35 years. These wishes have had a transformative tirelessly pitching in and pulling together to ensure our
and long-lasting impact on the lives of children, who have organization can continue to bring joyful, healing
been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses and genetic experiences to children, diagnosed with life-threatening
or neurological conditions. We know from our wish families, illnesses and genetic or neurological conditions, across the
their friends and caregivers that these special experiences – country. It’s not rocket science – just the impact of
which would not be possible without our volunteers and collaboration among people who truly believe in the power
donors – provide a much-needed respite from the everyday of a wish.
challenges of living with a life-threatening or serious
condition. With your unwavering commitment and support, we can
continue to create even more moments of joy for our wish
As we work to reach the next frontier – granting the next children and their families. Thank you!
25,000 wishes – we know we will face many challenges.
One of these challenges is the decline in donors and Here’s to the next 25,000 wishes and beyond!

Chris Kotsopoulos, Brenda Abrams,
Chief Executive O cer National Board Chair

*Generosity in Canada and the United States: The 2018 Generosity Index, December 2018, Milagros Palacios, Jake Fuss, Fraser Institute, Fraser Research Bulletin

Granting More Wishes,
Creating More Wonders

We’re reaching more kids and transforming more lives thanks to you

More than three-and-a-half years ago, Children’s Wish expanded its wish granting e orts to include children with
serious genetic and neurological conditions. That’s why we launched our More Wishes, More Wonders campaign, with a
goal of raising $10 million by 2021 outside our traditional fundraising e orts.

Last year, we granted wishes for 76 children with serious genetic or neurological conditions. These children and their
families live such challenging lives that often revolve around the day-to-day special care needs of the wish child. Rest
breaks and vacations are rare luxuries for many of these families, yet we know from talking to them and to the
healthcare professionals who work with them that even a short respite can bring so much relief and hope.

With two years left before our $10-million target timeline, we’re proud to report that More
Wishes, More Wonders has raised more than $9.3 million to date. We’re so grateful to the
people and organizations who have contributed and continue to contribute to this e ort.
But while we’re close to our target, we are not there yet. We need your help to get us there.

With your generosity, I know we will meet – if not exceed – our goal.

Dave Lacey,
National Chair, More Wishes, More Wonders Campaign

Revenue and Expenses by Source

What We Spent and Where Our Funds
How We Spent It Come From

Investment Income Clubs & Groups
5% 6%

Fundraising 26% Children’s Wishes Gift-in-Kind
59% 8%

Corporate
12%

Administration Lotteries
15% 1%

% OF TOTAL EXPENSES Individuals
12%

Fundraising Events
45%

Estates
11%

% OF TOTAL REVENUE

The Power of Worki

A family together again, thanks to the
magic of a wish

Hugging Rapunzel at Disney World was a magical moment for four-year-old Isla, who
spent six months in hospital and endured five rounds of chemotherapy and four surgeries
after doctors diagnosed her with leukemia. But the bigger magic was the time Isla’s family
spent together. Isla’s mother had stayed with her throughout her treatment in hospital,
while her Dad held the fort at home with Isla’s sister. “We were a family divided and that
was hard,” Isla’s father wrote. “Isla’s wish — the one that caring donors made
possible — brought us back together.”

Kirill takes o towards his dream career

Passengers on an Air Transat flight from Montreal to Vancouver got a pleasant surprise
when 14-year-old Kirill walked through the aisles to work with the flight service crew.
Dressed in his own Air Transat uniform, Kirill lived his wish of becoming a flight attendant
after a five-day course at Air Transat’s flight attendant school. Kirill’s future had seemed
so uncertain after doctors discovered he had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer which
a ects the body’s infection-fighting white blood cells. Today, thanks to Children’s Wish
and Air Transat, Kirill can look forward to the day when he's old enough to be a real flight
attendant!

971 $23.1M

CANADIAN CHILDREN TOTAL FUNDRAISING REVENUE
WERE GRANTED WISHES COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS
LAST YEAR. FISCAL YEAR OF $21.2M.

132 2.7M

HOSPITALS AND CLINICS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IMPACTED
TREATED OUR WISH BY MORE THAN 27,000 WISHES
CHILDREN LAST YEAR. GRANTED BY CHILDREN’S WISH
FOUNDATION.

ing Together

A single wish can go a long way

The week that Kelly (on right side of photo) spent taking care of the animals
at Dog Tales Rescue and Sanctuary in King City, Ontario, left a long-term
impact on the teenager, who has cystic fibrosis. Kelly’s wish-come-true
experience helped her decide to pursue a career working with animals. She
also left with a lasting reminder of her wish week at the sanctuary: a new pet
dog named Sable!

Giving back: The ripple e ect of a
wish-come-true

Did you know that ripples in water can return to the central point they came from then
ripple back out again? As we learned from the story of 13-year-old Jax from Truro, Nova
Scotia, the same kind of ripple e ect can happen from a child’s wish.

Jax has been a dedicated fundraiser for Children’s Wish since he was six-years old, raising
money through a lemonade stand, through ra e tickets for paintings donated by
professional artists, and by selling his own toys. At age 11, Jax – who has a serious medical
condition that causes the nervous system controlling the body’s processes to malfunction –
had his own wish granted when he and his family experienced the thrill of swimming with
dolphins in Hawaii.

Jax continued to raise money for Children’s Wish after his trip but he wanted do more to
give back. When he learned that a Nova Scotia kid named Cooper was getting his wish of having a swimming pool in his
backyard, Jax helped fill a UPS truck with pool toys, put on a courier’s uniform and delivered the toys to Cooper.

$1.2M 451

RAISED FROM 14 HEROES TOWNS ACROSS CANADA
CHALLENGE EVENTS ACROSS WERE HOME TO OUR WISH
THE COUNTRY LAST YEAR. CHILDREN LAST YEAR.

741 771

HEALTH CARE FUNDRAISING EVENTS
PROFESSIONALS ACROSS TOOK PLACE ACROSS
CANADA REFERRED CANADA LAST YEAR.
A WISH CHILD LAST YEAR.

We Have Millions of Reasons
to Thank You

Thanks to your donations, the thousands of hours you gave freely, and the understanding,
compassion and knowledge you shared, we’ve touched the lives of more than 2.7 million
people by granting the wishes of more than 25,000 kids. Your passion, commitment and
collaborative e orts truly make a di erence in the lives of our Wish children and their families.
We hope you stay with us on our quest to grant the next 25,000 wishes.

2019/20 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIR TREASURER MEMBERS Richard Lachance
Brenda Abrams Carl Viel Gerry Curnew Ian Smith
Heather Falk Kent Scales
VICE CHAIR SECRETARY Les Gombik Shawn White
Mitch Minken Jim Wyatt Jan Grude

MAJOR SUPPORTERS ($100,000 plus donors from April 1, 2018 - March 30, 2019)

• Air Transat • Estate of Benna Mathilde Hauke • Rapid RTC
• Blue Cross • Estate of Frances Maria Paul • RBC
• Calgary Shaw Charity Classic Foundation • Estate of Janet Heseldin-MacIlvride • RBC Foundation
• Canada Cycles for Kids • Estate of Kathryn Jean May • Ride for a Child's Wish Trail Ride
• Carrossier ProColor • Estate of Marilyn Ruth Dixon • Sobeys
• Clearwater Seafoods • Estate of Thomas Roache • The Sobey Foundation
• Couche-Tard • Estate of Werner Dybowski • Starlight Investments
• C-Store Day sponsored in part by the • Fairmont Royal York • Talize Inc.
• Give Kids The World Village • The Slaight Family Foundation
Canadian Convenience Store Association • Kimmett Cup • Tim Hortons
• CTV Atlantic • Maritime Forces Atlantic • Warehouse One - The Jeans Store
• Doncaster Foundation • QX-104 - The Jim Pattison • Wilsons Fuel Co. Limited
• Edmonton Civic Employees
Broadcast Group
Charitable Assistance Fund

Remembering Norm: A True Children’s Wish Superhero

Norman McCormack couldn’t fly or demolish villains with a laser glare. But he Photo by Nikki Wesley/Torstar
was a superhero who raised more than $45,000 for Children’s Wish Foundation The standards Program
by collecting empty bottles and cans. Norm, who passed away on February 15 at Trustmark is a mark of
the age of 82, spent many hours walking with his wife, Thelma through their Imagine Canada used
Burlington, Ontario neighbourhood to pick up the bottles and cans their under licence by
neighbours and friends had saved for them. Rain, shine or snow, Norm and Children’s Wish
Thelma were out there doing their part “to help the kids.” Thank you Norm and Foundation
Thelma, you’ve made a tremendous di erence in the lives of hundreds of people.

To donate now, please call
the Wish line at 1-800-267-9474 or visit

www.childrenswish.ca

Registered charity # 12403 8878 RR0001